ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. stand — to bear
  4. track — to keep track
  5. spell — letters
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. track — a song
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. tube — the underground
  12. dip — to sink
  13. spell — a short time
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. tube — a container
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. staff — a stick
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. track — a path
  22. staff — employees
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. spell — magic

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com